Lot 49: Thurn and Taxis

[jbor at bigpond.com]

Cf: "(some said that the name Taxis came from the Italian *tasso*, 
badger, referring to hats of badger fur the early Bergamascan couriers 
wore)." (111.4-6)

See also 108.34: "a mail coach belonging to the 'Torre and Tassis' 
system, which Oedipa figured must be Italian for Thurn and Taxis."

Like much else in Pynchon, the amazing thing about the absurd, 
convoluted, and seemingly fantastic narrative of the rise and fall of 
the Thurn and Taxis postal monolopy in Europe which Pynchon devotes so 
much time to in _Lot 49_ is just how much of it is grounded in 
historical "fact". Great links, by the way, thanks.

best

On 12/03/2005, at 8:48 PM, François Monti wrote:

> http://www.eurohistory.com/thurn.html
>
> If I'm not mistaken, Taxis is a deformation of the italian name, 
> Tasso. In french it became Tassis and then Taxis. Their old (and huge) 
> warehouse in Brussels is now a exhibition / conference / concert 
> centre (30 hectares).
> http://www.tourtaxis.be/index2.html
>
> François Monti
> (please bear with my english)